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Gasshozukuri

 

Gasshozukuri

Gasshozukuri is a Japanese architectural style characterized by thatched and steeply slanting roofs. This architectural style is named after "gassho" which refers to two hands joined in prayer. Shirakawa Village is located in the northwest part of Gifu Prefecture in an area surrounded by steep mountains. 96% of the village is mountain forests and Gasshozukuri settlements called "Shirakawa-gō" are dotted in the Shogawa upper river basin winding between mountains. Gasshozukuri settlements are also found in the mid river basin in Gokayama Mountain in Toyama Prefecture. These areas have heavy snowfalls in winter and this specific architectural style was produced in Japan in order to reduce the hard work of snow removal.

 

The characteristics of Gasshozukuri are not limited to heavy-snow countermeasures but also have the advantage of providing two or three storied wide spaces in attics. The agricultural income of these areas has historically been scarce due to the lack of cultivated lands. The sericulture industry was developed in order to bolster the livelihood in these mountain areas. Sericulture is the production of silk through spinning silkworm cocoons into threads. Silkworms (Bombyx mori), domesticated moth larvae, need to be managed by humans as they have completely lost their ability to regress to the wild. Gasshozukuri is a most suitable architecture as its attics can be used as sericulture workplaces where the room temperature is stable.

 

The roofs of Gasshozukuri face north and south to promote the drying of the thatching by adjusting the amount of sun. In these areas, strong winds blow from both sides, and winds blow through the windows of the attics in summer. In winter, the construction enables reduction of the windswept parts. These things not only maintain the comfort of life but also enhance silkworm growth. In addition, Gasshozukuri houses are constructed without using a single peg or nail. Their durability has been preserved by the characteristics of the building materials such as wood, rope and thatching and the daily living styles. Moisture, which leads to mold growth, is adequately controlled by the drafty thatched roofs. Also, irori, an open fireplace installed in the center of the house, enables warmth and cuisine cooking, smokes the attics and strengthens the building materials as well as prevents insect damage.

 

Gasshozukuri suitable for housing is one of the representative architecture styles in Japan, and constitutes an original landscape due to its traditional style. We can see the ideas of ancestors who integrated their wisdoms and techniques in order to form clothing, food and housing through facing severe climate conditions and living in harmony with nature. From the 1950s, a momentum of the residents to preserve these precious cultural heritages increased year by year, and the area "The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama" was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1995.

 

Gasshozukuri villages were famous as sightseeing sites prior to the designation by UNESCO, but today, more tourists from Japan and abroad visit there to enjoy the historical landscapes. At the same time, some people are worrying that the influx of visitors is decreasing the attractiveness of the area in terms of its original simple uniqueness and the mindset of the inhabitants. The thoughtful manners of visitors are necessary to preserve the beautiful landscape.

 

(Yuri Hoshiba)

Japanese